>> the peaceful town of aspen may never be the same. >> turkeys have [bleep]? >> what are we talking about? >> what are we talking about? [laughter] [turkey gobbling] >> this is a fox news special presentation. good evening from boxer news. -- fox news. we are moments away from the third state of the union address. the white house has released excerpts of the speech. the president is expected to say we can settle for a country where a shrinking number of people do really well while a growing number of americans barely get by or we can restore an economy where everyone gets a

fair shot. everyone does their fair share. and everyone plays by the same set of rules. when it comes to our financial system, the president says it is time to apply the same rules from top to bottom. no bailouts, no handouts and no copouts. and the news anchors this afternoon at lunch with the president at the white house -- the details of that conversation were off the record. the president seemed to be hoping the nation would be more optimistic after tonight's speech. we will know shortly. shannon is at the rotunda on the house side of the hill. the first lady has some special guests tonight. >> she does. more than 20 people in her box, including people will recognize. capt. martelly -- mark kelly, the husband of gabrielle giffords. we expect heard here tonight. she will resign tomorrow, saying

she will recover and return. also, the widow of steve jobs. we expect the president to talk about innovation. and a woman named debbie bosanek, the longtime secretary to warren buffett. you have heard about the buffett rule. somehow the president will flesh that out tonight and talk about a minimum tax on those who earn $1 million or more in the u.s.. >> and gabrielle giffords on the screen now. the last time we saw her, she did not look quite like this. she has a new hairstyle. the other day she informed the nation this would be her last event. she is resigning after tonight. if you think back to that awful day in tucson, and arizona, what a story she has to tell. her young sidekick was widely credited with saving her life. he was 20 at the time.

he is going on to a very bright future. speaker boehner has a number of guests from the other side. >> he certainly is try to make a point tonight. he has invited business leaders and officials directly connected to the keystone pipeline. he says they have been hurt by the president's decision not to move ahead with the pipeline. we do know the president will talk about u.s. energy production tonight. he will not talk about keystone specifically. speaker boehner wants to make a point that gets discussed or is up for discussion with his guests. >> secretary of state clinton. a rare appearance on capitol hill these days. she has been traveling around the world, working on foreign policy matters with the president. a packed house as always. we are expecting the president to note a tone of optimism, to

point out the country is on the road to recovery, as he put it. the jobless numbers are down and the economy appears to be improving. more slowly than the president would like to add more than the electorate would as his approval ratings are not nearly what he would like them to be. chris wallace has been tracking such things. some tall orders for the president tonight as it tries to restore optimism. >> absolutely. this is an election year and this is a political and policy speech. the president is going to make the case that he has a program that will help the middle class that will try to make everybody play by the same rules that will help the wealthy. and make the wealthy pay their fair share. we had a briefing this morning. before the speech, both sides want to get their message out. some of us had a message -- breakfast with john boehner.

he at one point said let me get this right, running on the politics of division anand envyo me is almost on american -- un american. let's get the wealthy pay their fair share. he says that is the politics of envy and division and almost un american. >> we watched the president's motorcade, around the capital. the doors have opened. >> mr. speaker, the president of the united states.

bythe president is walking and shaking hands. they have a microphone up there. let's listen. >> looking forward to your speech. >> thank you.

>> people come out worse early to stake out those seats to get a little face time. some members of congress actually get someting done. they say i have a product or will hand a note and get some business done. >> getting business done in that chamber -- i did not know that is what they did. >> gabrielle giffords, a year ago that that senseless act occurred. one of the results of that has been this effort of date night where republicans and democrats will now sit together. a couple of them will announce they will sit together, regardless of which side of the aisle they are on. and that was one of the legacies of that terrible day in tucson.

>> it would not surprise us that the president walked over to gabrielle giffords and said a little something. her speech is not what it once was. they tell us she has been working on it very hard. she left a video message a couple of days ago, and forming constituents that she would be resigning her post in the house. in doing so, you can see how they placed a number of words adopt -- together. it takes her longer than the rest of us to get words together. we will watch for that. there is leon panetta as well. >> she is going to be on the floor the houomorrow morning. she is going to introduce her last piece of legislation to crack down on light airplanes

being used across the border. then at some point tomorrow, she will step down as a member of congress. >> justice ginsburg there, she has been through so much. she vows never to miss these though all of them are not here this evening. >> remember a couple of years ago when he called out the supreme court because of the decision on citizens united, allowing corporations to get money. and that has resulted in these super packs. >> they are not regulated. they are not directly tied to the candidate in they can spend as much money as they want in support of the candidates. there is gabrielle giffords. let's listen.

i get a little chill everytime i see her. we thought it was going to be such a horrible ending and for so many it was. a senseless act of a deranged man. but gabrielle giffords showing a triumph over tragedy this night. as she has a lead and inspire for so many weeks and months before mao -- before now. the vice-president. that was gabrielle giffords' husband.

>> members of congress, i have the high privilege and distinct honor of presenting to you the president of the united states. >> john boehner, of course. the president spoke briefly about their relationship. they were cordial. i think he spoke about that this morning as well. but he did. he said we are like two different people from two different planets. we barely understand each other. >> mr. vice president, mr. speaker, members of congress, distinguished guests and fellow americans. last month i went to andrews air force base and welcome home some of our last troops to serve in

iraq. together we offered a final proud to salute to the colors under which more than a million of our fellow citizens fight. and several thousand gave their lives. we gather tonight knowing that this generation of heroes has made the united states safer and more respected around the world. [applause] for the first time in nine years, there are no americans fighting in iraq. for the first time in two

decades, osama bin laden is not a threat to this country. most of al qaeda's top lieutenants have been defeated. the tally ben's momentum has been broken -- taliban's momentum has been broken and ships have begun to come home. these achievements are a testament to the courage, selflessness and teamwork of america's armed forces. at a time when too many of our institutions have led us down, they exceeded all expectations. they are not consumed with personal ambition. they do not obsess over their

differences. they focus on the mission at hand. they worked together. imagine what we could accomplish if we followed their example. think about the america within our reach. a country that leads the world in educating its people, and america that attracts a new generation of high-tech manufacturing and high-paying jobs. a future where we are in control of our own energy and security and prosperity are not anti to unstable parts of the world. an economy built to last where hard work pays off and responsibility is rewarded. we can do this. i know we can because we have

done it before. at the end of world warii when another generation of heroes returned home from combat, they build the strongest economy and middle class the world has ever known. my grandfather, a veteran of the army, got the chance to go to college on the gi bill. my grandmother was part of a work force that turned out the best products on earth. they share the optimism of a nation that had triumphed over depression and fascism. they understood they were part of something larger. they were contributing to a success that every american had a chance to share. the basic american promise that if you worked hard, you could do

well enough to raise a family, own a home, send your kids to college and put a little away for retirement. the defining issue of our time is how to keep that promise alive. no challenge is more urgent, no debate is more important. we will not settle for a country where a shrinking number of people do really well while a growing number of americans barely get by. we can restore an economy where everyone gets a fair shot and everyone does their fair share and everyone plays by the same set of rules. what is at stake are not

democratic values or republican values. but american values. we have to reclaim them. let's remember how we got here. long before the recession, jobs and manufacturing began leaving our shores. technology made businesses more efficient but also made some jobs obsolete. folks at the top saw their incomes rise like never before. but most hard-working americans struggled with costs that were growing, paychecks that were not and personal debt and that kept piling up. in 2008, the house of cards collapsed. we learn that mortgages were sold to those who could not afford or understand them. banks made huge debts and bonuses with other people's money. regulators looked the other way. or did not have the authority to

stop the bad behavior. it was irresponsible. and it plunged our economy into a crisis that put millions of the work, saddled us with more debt and left innocent, hard- working americans holding the bank. in the six months before took office, we lost nearly 4 million jobs. we lost another 4 million before our policies were in full facts. those are the facts. but so are these. in the last 22 months, businesses have created more than 3 million jobs her. -- jobs. [applause] last year, they created the most

jobs since 2005. american manufacturers are hiring again, creating jobs for the first time since the late 1990's. together, we have agreed to cut the deficit by more than $2 trillion. and we put in place new rules to hold wall street accountable so prices like this never happened -- crises like this never happens again. the state of our union is getting stronger. we have come too far to turn back now. as long as i'm president, i will work with anyone in this chamber to build on this momentum. but i intend to fight obstruction with action and i will oppose any effort to return to the very same policies that brought on this economic crisis in the first place. [applause]

no, we will not go back to an economy weakened by outsourcing, bad debt and phony financial problems. tonight i want to speak about how we move forward. and lay out a bluepri for an economy built to last. an economy built on american manufacturing, american energy, skills for american workers and a renewal of american values. this blueprint begins with the american manufacturing. on the day i took office, our auto industry was on the verge of collapse. some even said we should let it die. with 1 million jobs at stake, are refused to let that happen.

in exchange for help, we demanded responsibility. we got workers and auto makers to settle their differences. we got the industry to restructure. today geners is back on top of the world's no. 1 automaker. [applause] chrysler has grown faster in the united states than any other major car company. ford is investing billions in u.s. plants and factories. together, the entire industry added nearly 160,000 jobs. we bet on american workers, we bet on american ingenuity and tonight, the american auto industry is back.

what's happening in detroit can happen in other industries. it can happen in cleveland and pittsburgh and raleigh. we cannot bring every job back that has left our shore. but right now, it is getting more expensive to do business in places like china. meanwhile america is more productive. a few weeks ago, the ceo of master line told me that it now makes business sense for him to bring jobs back home. today for the first time in 15 years, their unionized plant in milwaukee is running at full capacity.

and so we have a huge opportunity at this moment to bring manufacturing back. but we have to seize it. tonight my message to business -- cease it. to my message to business leaders is simple. ask what we can do to help bring jobs back to this country and we will do everything we can to help you succeed. we should start with our tax code. right now, companies get tax breaks for moving jobs and profits overseas. meanwhile companies that choose to stay in america get hit with one of the highest tax rates in the world. it makes no sense. everyone knows it. so let's change it. first, if you are a business that wants to outsource jobs,

you should not get a tax deduction for doing it. that money should be used to cover moving expenses for companies that decide to bring jobs, -- jobs home. no american company should be able to avoid paying its fair share of taxes by moving jobs and profits overseas. from now on, every multinational companies should have to pay a basic minimum tax and every penny should go towards lowering taxes for companies that choose to stay here and haifa -- higher here in america.

third, if you are an american manufacturer, he should get a bigger tax cut. if you are a high-tech manufacturer, we should double the tax deduction you get for making your products h if you want to relocate in a community hit hard when a factory left town, he should get help financing any plant, equipment or training for new workers. so my message is simple -- it is time to stop rewarding businesses that ship jobs overseas and start rewarding companies that create jobs like -- right here and in america. send me these tax reforms and i will sign them right away. we are also making it easier for american businesses to sell products all over the world. two years ago, i set a goal of

doubling u.s. exports over five years. with a bipartisan trade agreement we signed into law, we are on track to meet that goal ahead of scandal. -- ahead of schedule. soon there will be mari it -- millions of new customers for goods. soon there will be new cars on the streets of seoul imported from detroit and toledo and chicago. i will go anywhere in the world to open new markets for american products. i will not stand by when our competitors do not play by the rules. we have brought trade cases against china has nearly twice the rate as the last administration and it has made a difference.

over 1000 americans are working today because the stock a surge in chinese tires. but we need to do more. it is not right when another country let our movies, music and software be pirated. it is not fair when foreign manufacturers have a leg up on ours because they are heavily subsidized. tonight i am announcing the creation of a trade enforcement unit that will be charged with investigating unfair trading practices in countries like china. there will be more inspections, to prevent counterfeit or unsafe goods from crossing our borders. and this congress should make sure that no foreign company has an advantage over american manufacturing when it comes to accessing financing or new markets like russia. our workers of the most productive on earth and if the playing field is level, i promise you, america will always win.

i also hear from many business leaders who want to hire in the united states. but nnot find workers with the right skills. growing industries in science and technology have twice as many openings as we have workers who can do the job. think about that. openings at a time when millions of americans are looking for work. it is inexcusable. and we know how to fix it. jackie bray is a single mom from north carolina who was laid off from her job as a mechanic. then siemens open the gas turbine factory in charlotte and a formed a partnership with central piedmont community

college. the company held the college design courses and laser and robotic training. it paid her tuition, then hired her to help operate their plans. i want everyone in america to have the same opportunity as jackie did. join me in a commitment to train 2 million americans with skills that will lead directly to a job. my administration has already lined up more companies that want to help. model partnerships between businesses like siemens and community colleges in places like charlotte are up and running. now you need to give more to men at the college's the resources theyd to become community career centers, places that teach people skills that

businesses are looking for right now. from data management to high- tech manufacturing. i want to cut through the maze of confusing training programs so that from now on, people like jackie have one program, one website and one place to go for all the information and help they need. it is time to turn our unemployment system into a reid- employment system -- re employment system that puts people to work. these reforms will help people get jobs open today. but to prepare for the jobs of tomorrow, our commitments to skills and education has to start earlier. for less than 1% of our -- of what our nation spends on education each year, we

convinced nearly every state in the country to raise their standards for teaching and learning. the first time that has happened in a generation. but challenges remain. and we know how to solve them. at a time when other countries are doubling down on education, tight budgets have forced states to lay off thousands of teachers. we know a good teacher can increase the lifetime income of a class of by over $250,000. a great teacher can offer an escape from poverty to the child that dreams beyond its circumstance. every person in this chamber can point to a teacher who changed the trajectory of their lives. most teachers worked tirelessly with modest pay, sometimes digging into their own pocket for school supplies just to make a difference. teachers matter. so instead of bashing them or defending the status quo, let's

offer schools a deal. give them the resources to keep good teachers on the job and reward the best ones and in return, grant schools flexibility to teach with creativity and passion, to stop teaching to the test. and to replace teachers who are not helping kids learn. that is a bargain worth making. we also know that when students to not walk away from their education, more of them walk the stage to get their diploma. when students are not allowed to drop out, they do better. so tonight, i am proposing that

every state requires that all students stay in high school until they graduate or turn 18. when kids graduate. this congress needs to stop the interest rates on student loans from dublin in july. extend the tuition tax credit we started that saves middle-class families thousands of dollars. and give more young people the chance to earn their way through

college by doubling the number of work-study jobs in the next five years. of course, it's not enough for us to increase student aid. we can't just keep subsidizing skyrocketing tuition; we'll run out of money. states also need to do their part, by making higher education a higher priority in their budgets. and colleges and universities have to do their part by working to keep costs down. recently, i spoke with a group of college presidents who've done just that. some schools re-design courses to help students finish more quickly. some use better technology. the point is, it's possible. so let me put colleges and universities on notice: if you can't stop tuition from going up, the funding you get from taxpayers will go down. higher education can't be a luxury it's an econo

imperative that every family in america should be able to afford. let's also remember that hundreds of thousands of talented, hardworking students in this country face another challenge: the fact that they aren't yet american citizens. many were brought here as small children, are american through and through, yet they live every day with the threat of deportation. others came more recently, to study business and science and engineering, but as soon as they get their degree, we send them home to invent new products and create new jobs somewhere else. that doesn't make sense. i believe as strongly as ever that we should take on illegal immigration. that's why my administration has put more boots on the border than ever before. that's why there are fewer illegal crossings than when i took office.

the opponents of action are out of excuses. we should be working on comprehensive immigration reform right now. but if election-year politics keeps congress from acting on a comprehensive plan, let's at least agree to stop expelling responsible young people who want to staff our labs, start new businesses, and defend this country. send me a law that gives them the chance to earn their citizenship. i will sign it right away.

you see, an economy built to last is one where we encourage the talent and ingenuity of every person in this country. that means women should earn equal pay for equal work. it means we should support everyone who's willing to work; and every risk-taker and entrepreneur who aspires to become the next steve jobs. after all, innovation is what america has always been about. most new jobs are created in start-ups and small businesses. so let's pass an agenda that helps them succeed. tear down regulations that prevent aspiring entrepreneurs from getting the financing to grow.

expand tax relief to small businesses that are raising wages and creating good jobs. both parties agree on these ideas. so put them in a bill, and get it on my desk this year. innovation also demands basic research. today, the discoveries taking place in our federally-financed labs and universities could lead to new treatments that kill cancer cells but leave healthy ones untouched. new lightweight vests for cops and soldiers that can stop any bullet. don't gut these investments in our budget. don't let other countries win the race for the future. support the same kind of research and innovation that led to the computer chip and the internet; to new american jobs and new american industries. nowhere is the promise of

innovation greater than in american-made energy. over the last three years, we've opened mins of new acres for oil and gas exploration, and tonight, i'm directing my administration to open more than 75 percent of our potential offshore oil and gas resources. right now, american oil production is the highest that it's been in eight years. right -- eight years. that, last year, we relied less on foreign oil than

any of the but with only 2 percent of the world's oil reserves, oil isn't enough. this country needs an all-out, all-of-the-above strategy that develops every available source of american energy. a strategy that's cleaner, cheaper, and full of new jobs. we have a supply of natural gas that can last america nearly one hundred years, and my possible action to safely develop this energy. experts believe this will support more than 600,000 jobs by the end of the decade. and i'm requiring all companies that drill for gas on public lands to disclose the chemicals they use. america will develop this resource without putting the

health and safety of our citizens at risk. the development of natural gas will create jobs and powered trucks and factories that are cleaner and cheaper, and proving we do not have to choose between our environment and economy. by the way, it was public research dollars over the course of 30 years that helped develop the technology to extract all of this natural gas out of shell rocks, reminding us that government support is critical in helping businesses get new energy ideas off the ground. what's true for natural gas is just as true for clean energy. in three years, our partnership with the private sector has already positioned america to be the world's leading manufacturer of high-tech batteries. because of federal investments,

wable energy use has nearly doubled and thousands of icans have jobs because of it. when bryan ritterby was laid off from his job of making furniture, he worried that at 55 no one would give him a second chance. but he found work at a wind turbine manufacturer in michigan. before the recession, the only made luxury yachts. today it is hiring workers like him who said i am proud to be working in the industry of the future. our experience with shell gas, with natural gas shows us that the payoffs on these public investments do not always come right away. some technologies do not pan out. some companies fail. but i will not walk away from the promise of clean energy. i will not walk away from worker

like bryan. -- workers like bryan. i will not see the wind or solar industry to china because beef refused to make the same commitment here. -- because we refused to make the same commitment here. it is time to end the tax payer give away to an industry that really has been more profitable and double down on clean energy that has never been more promising. create these jobs. we can also spur energy innovation with new incentives. the differences in this chamber may be too deep right now to pass a comprehensive plan for

climate change. but there is no reason why congress should not least set a clean energy standard that creates a market for innovation. so far, you have not acted. well, tonight, i will. i am directing my administration to develop enough clean energy on public land to power 3 million homes. the department of defense, working with us, theorld's largest consumer of energy, will make one of the largest commitment to clean energy in history with the navy purchasing enough capacity to power a quarter of a million homes a year. [applause] of course the easiest way to

save money is to waste less energy. so here is a proposal -- help manufacturers eliminate energy waste in their factories and give businesses incentives to upgrade their buildings. their energies -- energy bills will be $1 billion less over the decades. send me a bill that creates the jobs. in building this new energy future should be one part of a broader agenda to a repair america's infrastructure. so much of america needs to be built. we have crumbling roads and bridges, a power grid that wastes too much energy, and incomplete high-speed broadband network that prevents a small-

business owner in rural america from selling our products all over the world. during the great depression, america built the hoover dam and the golden gate bridge. after world war ii, we connected our states with a system of highways. democratic and republican administrations and divested -- invested in great projects that benefit everybody -- that nefited everybody. in the next few weeks, i will sign an executive order, clearing away the red tape that slows down to many construction projects. but you need to fund these projects. take the money we are no less -- no longer spending at war, use half of it to pay down our debt and use the rest to do some nation-building right here at home.

there has never been a better time to build. especially since the construction industrs one of the hardest hit when the housing bubble burst. of course construction workers were not the only ones who were hurt. so were millions of innocent americans who have seen in their home values decline. while government cannot fix the problem on its own, responsible home owners should not have to sit and wait for the housing market to hit bottom to get some relief. that is why i am sending this congress a plan that gives every responsible homeowner the chance to save about $3,000 a year on their mortgages are refinancing at historic lee -- historically low rates. a small fee on the largest financial institutions will ensure and give those banks

rescued by tax pacers -- tax payers to repay a deficit of trust. let's never forget -- millions of americans who work hard and play by the rules every day deserve a government and a financial system to do the same. it is time to apply the same rules from top to bottom, no bailouts, no handouts and no copouts. an america built to last insists on responsibility from everybody. we have all paid the price for lenders who sold mortgages to people could not afford them. and buyers who knew they could not afford it. that is why we need smart regulations to prevent irresponsible behavior.

rules to prevent financial fraud or toxic dumping or faulty medical devices. these do not destroy the free market. they make the free market work better. there's no question that some regulations are outdated, unnecessary or too costly. in fact, i have approved fewer regulations in the first three years of my presidency than my republican predecessor did in his. [applause] i have ordered every federal agency to eliminate rules that do not make sense. we have already announced over 500 reforms and a fraction of them will save businesses and citizens more than $10 billion over the next five years. we got rid of one rules from 40 years ago that could afford some dairy farmers to spend $10,000 a

year, proving they could contain a spill because milk was somehow classified as an oil. with the will like that, i guess it was worth crying over spilled milk. [laughter] -- with a rule like that, i guess it was worth crying over spilled milk. [laughter] but i will not back down for making sure an oil company can contain the kind of oil spilled diesel in the gulf two years ago -- spill we saw in the gulf two years ago.

i will not back down from protecting our kids from mercury poisoning were making sure that our food is safe and our water is clean. i will not go back to the days when health insurance companies had unchecked power to cancel your policy, deny your coverage or charged women differently than men. and i will not go back to the days when wall street was allowed to play by sun -- its own set of rules. the new rules we passed restore what should be in the financial system's core purpose -- getting funding to entrepreneurs with the best ideas and getting loans to responsible families who want to buy a home or start a business or seneir kids to college.

so if you are a big bank or a financial institution, you are no lr allowed to make risky bets with your customers' deposits. you are required to white -- write out a living will. the rest of us are not billing you out ever again. -- bailing you out ever again. if you are a mortgage lender or a pay the lender or credit card company, the days of signing people up for products they cannot afford with confusing forms and deceptive practices, those days are over. today, american consumers finally have a watchdog in record three with one job to look out for them -- richard cordray with one job to look out for them.

we will also establish a financial crimes unit of highly trained investigator tocrack down on large-scale fraud and protect people's investments. some financial firms violated major anti-fraud laws because there is no penalty for being a repeat offender. that is bad for consumers and it is bad for the vast majority of bankers and financial service professionals who do the right thing. pass legislation that make the penalties for fraud count. tonight i am asking my attorney- general to create a special unit of a federal prosecutors and leading state attorney general to expand our investigations into the abuse of lending and packaging of risky mortgages that led to the housing crisis. this new unit will hold accountable those who broke a lot, speed assistance to home owners and help turn the page on an error of recklessness -- era a recklessness that heard so many americans. every turn to the american

values of their play and shared responsibility will help protect our people and our economy. it should also guide us as we look to pay down our debt and invest in our future. right now our most immediate priority is stopping a tax hike on 160 million working americans while the recovery is still fragile. people cannot afford losing $40 out of each paycheck this year. there are plenty of ways to get this done. so let's agree right here, right now -- no drama, no side issues. past the payroll tax cut without delay. let's get it done. -- pass the payroll tax cut

without delay. let's get it done. when it comes to the deficit, we have already agreed to more than $2 trillion in cuts and saves. but we need to do more. that means making choices. right now we are poised to spend nearly $1 trillion more on what was supposed to be a temporary tax break for the wealthiest 2% of americans. right now because of loopholes and shelters in the tax codes, one-quarter of all millionaires a lower tax rates than millions of middle-class households. right now, warren buffett pays a lower tax rate than his secretary. do we want to keep these tax cuts for the wealthiest americans or do we want to keep our investments in everything else? like education and medical

research, a strong military and care for our veterans. if we're serious about paying down our debt, we cannot do both. in the american people know what the right choices. so do i.. as i told the speaker this summer, i am prepared to make an more reforms and strengthen social security so long as those programs remain a guarantee of some -- security for seniors. but in return, we need to change our tax code so that people like me and an awful lot of members of congress pay our fair share of taxes.

tax reform should follow the buffett rule -- if you make more than $1 million a year, you should not pay less than 30% in taxes. my republican friends tom coburn is rig washington should stop subsidizing millionaires. if you are earning $1 million a year, you should not get special tax subsidies or deductions. on the other hand, if you make under $250,000 a year like 90% of american families, your taxes should not go up. -- 98% of american families, your taxes should not go up to read you are the ones struggling, you aren't the ones -- you are the ones. you can call this class warfare all you want but asking a billionaire to pay as much as his secretary in taxes -- most americans would call that common

sense. we do not begrudge a financial success in this country. we admire it. when americans talk about folks like me pay my fair share of taxes, it is not because the end be the rich. -- envy of the rich. they understand that when i get a tax cut, i do not need in that country cannot afford, it either at to the deficit or somebody else has to make up the difference. like a senior on a fixed income or a student trying to get through school or a family trying to make ends meet. that is not right. americans know that is not right. they know this generation's success is only possible because past generations felt a responsibility to each other. and to the future of their country. they know our way of life will only indoor -- endure if we feel

that same shared sense of responsibility. that is how we will reduce our deficit. that is an american built to last. -- america built to last. i recognize that people watching tonight have differing views about taxes and debt, energy and health care. but no matter what party they belong to, i bet most americans are thinking the same thing right about now -- nothing will get done in washington this year. or next year. or maybe even the year after that. because washington is broken. can you blame them for feeling a little cynical? the greatest blow to our confidence in our economy last year did not come from events

beyond our control. it came from a debate in washington over whether the united states would pay its bills or not. who benefited from that fiasco? i talked tonight about the deficit of trust between main street and wall street but the divide between this city and the rest of the country is at least as that. and it seems to get worse every year. some of this has to do with the corrosive influence of money in politics. so together, let's take some steps to fix that. send me a bill that bans insider trading by members of congress, and i will sign it tomorrow. let's limit any elected official from owning stocks in industries they impact. let's make sure people who bundle campaign contributions for congress can't lobby congress,

and vice versa an idea that has bipartisan support, at least outside of washington. some of what's broken has to do with the way congress does its business these days. a simple majority is no longer enough to get anything even routine business passed through the senate. neither party has been blameless in these tactics. now both parties should put an end to it. for starters, i ask the senate to pass a rule that all judicial and public service nominations receive a simple up or down vote within 90 days.

the executive branch also needs to change. too often, it's inefficient, outdated and remote. that's why i've asked this congress to grant me the authority to consolidate the federal bureaucracy so that our government is leaner, quicker, and more responsive to the needs of the american people. finally, none of these reforms can happen unless we also lower the temperature in this town. we need to end the notion that the two parties must be locked in a perpetual campaign of mutual destruction; that politics is about clinging to rigid ideologies instead of building consensus around common sense ideas.

i'm a democrat. but i believe what republican abraham lincoln believed: that government should do for people only what they cannot do better by themselves, and no more. that's why my education reform offers more competition, and more control for schools and states. that's why we're getting rid of regulations that don't work. that's why our health care law relies on a reformed private market, not a government program. on the other hand, even my republican friends who complain the most about government spenupported federally-financed roads, and clean energy projects, and federal offices for the folks back home.

the point is, we should all want a smarter, more effective government. and while we may not be able to bridge our biggest philosophical differences this year, we can make real progress. with or without this congress, i will keep taking actions that help the economy grow. but i can do a whole lot more with your help. because when we act together, there is nothing the united states of america can't achieve. that is the lesson we'verned from our actions abroad over the last few years. ending the iraq war has allowed

us to strike decisive blows against our enemies. from pakistan to yemen, the al qaeda operatives who remain are scrambling, knowing that they can't escape the reach of the united states of america. from this position of strength, we've begun to wind down the war in afghanistan. ten thousand of our troops have come home. twenty-three thousand more will leave by the end of this summer. this transition to afghan lead will continue, and we will build an enduring partnership with afghanistan, so that it is never again a source of attacks against america. as the tide of war recedes, a wave of change has washed across the middle east and north africa, from tunis to cairo; from sana'a to tripoli. a year

ago, qadhafi was one of the world's longest-serving dictators a murderer with american blood on his hands. today, he is gone. and in syria, i have no doubt that the assad regime will soon discover that the forces of change can't be reversed, and that human dignity can't be denied. how this incredible transformation will end remains uncertain. but we have a huge stake in the outcome. and while it is ultimately up to the people of the region to decide their fate, we will advocate for those values that have served our own country so well. we will stand against violence and intimidation. we will stand for the rights and dignity of all human beings men and

women; christians, muslims, and jews. we will support policies that lead to strong and stable democracies and open markets, because tyranny is no match for liberty. and we will safeguard america's own security against those who threaten our citizens, our friends, and our interests. look at iran. through the power of our diplomacy, a world that was once divided about how to deal with iran's nuclear program now stands as one. the regime is more isolated than ever before; its leaders are faced with crippling sanctions, and as long as they shirk their responsibilities, this pressure will not relent. let there be no doubt: america is determined to prevent iran from getting a nuclear weapon, and i will take no options off the table to achieve that goal. but a

peaceful resolution of this issue is still possible, and far better, and if iran changes course and meets its obligations, it can rejoin the community of nations. the renewal of american leadership can be felt across the globe. our oldest alliances in europe and asia are stronger than ever. our ties to the americas are deeper. our iron- clad commitment to israel's security has meant the closest military cooperation between our two countries in history. we've made it clear that america is a pacific power, and a new beginning in burma has lit a new hope. from the coalitions

we've built to secure nuclear materials, to the missions we've led against hunger and disease; from the blows we've dealt to our enemies; to the enduring power of our moral example, america is back. anyone who tells you otherwise, anyone who tells you that america is in decline or that our influence has waned, doesn't know what they're talking about. that's not the message we get from leaders around the world, all of whom are eager to work with us. that's not how

people feel from tokyo to berlin; from cape town to rio; where opinions of america are higher than they've been in years. yes, the world is changing; no, we can't control every event. but america remains the one indispensable nation in world affairs and as long as i'm president, i intend to keep it that way. that's why, working with our military leaders, i have proposed a new defense strategy that ensures we maintain the finest military in the world, while saving nearly half a trillion dollars in our budget. to stay one step ahead of our adversaries, i have already sent this congress legislation that will secure our country from the growing danger of cyber-threats.

above all, our freedom endures because of the men and women in uniform who defend it. as they come home, we must serve them as well as they served us. that includes giving them the care and benefits they have earned which is why we've increased annual va spending every year i've been president. and it

means enlisting our veterans in the work of rebuilding our nation. with the bipartisan support of this congress, we are providing new tax credits to companies that hire vets. michelle and jill biden have worked with american businesses to secure a pledge of 135,000 jobs for veterans and their families. and tonight, i'm proposing a veterans job corps that will help our communities hire veterans as cops and firefighters, so that america is as strong as those who defend her. which brings me back to where i

began. those of us who've been sent here to serve can learn from the service of our troops. when you put on that uniform, it doesn't matter if you're black or white; asian or latino; conservative or liberal; rich or poor; gay or straight. when you're marching into battle, you look out for the person next to you, or the mission fails. when you're in the thick of the fight, you rise or fall as one unit, serving one nation, leaving no one behind. one of my proudest possessions is the flag that the seal team took with them on the mission to get bin laden. on it are each of their names. some may be

democrats. some may be republicans. but that doesn't matter. just like it didn't matter that day in the situation room, when i sat next to bob gates a man who was george bush's defense secretary; and hillary clinton, a woman who ran against me for president. all that mattered that day was the mission. no one thought about politics. no one thought about themselves. one of the young men involved in the raid later told me that he didn't deserve credit for the mission. it only succeeded, he said, because every single member of that unit did their job the pilot who landed the helicopter that spun out of control; the translator who kept others from entering the compound; the troops who separated the women and children from the fight; the seals who charged up the stairs. more than that, the

mission only succeeded because every member of that unit trusted each other because you can't charge up those stairs, into darkness and danger, unless you know that there's someone behind you, watching your back. so it is with america. each time i look at that flag, i'm reminded that our destiny is stitched together like those fifty stars and those thirteen stripes. no one built this country on their own. this nation is great because we built it together. this nation is great because we worked as a team. this nation is great because we get each other's backs. and if we hold fast to that truth, in this moment of trial, there is no challenge too great; no mission too hard. as long as we're joined in

common purpose, as long as we maintain our common resolve, our journey moves forward, our future is hopeful, and the state of our union will always be strong. thank you, god bless you, and may god bless the united states of america. [applause]

>> the president of the united states on the state of our union. at the end of his address he said we would always be strong. on the second page, he said it is getting strong girl. the president stressed today that he hoped people would come away with more of a sense of optimism and hope for our nation's future. if all that the proposed tonight, the next year will be extremely busy. among the proposals, the new

inspections of foreign products as they come into the united states. an effort to level the playing field. domestically, the training of 2 million people with skills that lead directly to jobs. in education reform, including the requirement that kids stay in schools until they reach high school for the age of 18. and what the president called higher education and economic imperatives. he said that everyone should be able to afford it. on the nation-building, which we have done overseas, he said it is time to do it at home. upgrading the transportation systems to millions of dollars. in the end, cutting red tape on the mortgage system so that many more americans would be able to refinance their homes. a bit of a flourish. the the banking system has

become such a punching bag in our societylate. the state of our union is always strong, and it is getting stronger. an observer for decades said there were lofty objectives and proposals with little action after. the president had a lot left over from last year without things being done. >> he has certainly not less -- left his ability to perform a. it was fascinating to watch. that all kinds of tones. he stuck it to congress. he led with strength and whispering tones. osama bin laden is no longer a threat to this country, he

ended with strength. he told of the moving story about the flag from the team who killed osama bin laden. i have to say, but being realistic, it was a very clever political document, and one that is likely to benefit the president obama campaign rather than get anything done in washington. you could almost see the president checking off things. immigration reform reaching out to hispanics. the idea that washington is broken reaching out to independents. a trade enforcement unit, financial crimes unit, energy initiatives, or regulatory reform -- i thought we should have this guy as president because he has great ideas. it brought me back to something of that the speaker of the house said in the year one.

he felt as though president obama had slept through the last three years. why has he not gotten these gs done before? >> i think the president would suggest either rightly or wrongly, that he has not been able to get anything done because republicans would not let him a. >> setting up a trade enforcement units could have been done it unilaterally. democrats will. this out. taking a lesson if you will from the military, there are plenty of things that are not done because washington cannot get its act together. >> moments from now, republicans will offer their response and we will get to that in a moment. once he walks out of the room we

will not miss a bit of it. first of all, you mentioned thad we got chills watching gabby giffords, the congressmen from tucson arizona. this is a rewind of her hugging the president. her last official day was yesterday. her last official event on the floor is tomorrow. her husband sat in the box with the first lady. if there was a highlight or man that moment to night around which people of all political stripes could gather for a collective sigh, it might have been that. >> you absolutely cannot argue with that. it was very emotional.

most emotional of the night. they expect and what their color weep veryy moment on the floor. the congresswoman has repeatedly updated us on her colleagues health and activity. she is looking forward to getting back to life here in washington. she wants to keep fighting on behalf of arizona. they have heard of a tradition of where rep the difference would meet up on flights and they would share candy. if she has brought her the special candy.

she is someone who was brought people together across party lines. >> no doubt about that. next up will be the republican response to the president's state of the union address. it will be shorter. it is an unfair fight. the president has the entire congress and the supreme court. the response sitting alone in an empty room reading off a teleprompter. it is not a fair fight. it will be very interesting. the former budget chief for george w. bush has a strong record of job performance and budget. it turned a deficit into a big

surplus and kept it that way. he has a vision of how to govern the country. it will be interesting because there are an awful lot of people who hope that mitch daniels will run for president. he decided in the end not to. you can be sure that a lot of the political people will be watching tonight to see how he stacks up. it is probably too late for him to get in. he has been absolutely resolute that he will not get into the race. people are watching and wondering if he should be the standard%. sometimes it works out well, but sometimes it works out poorly. it is very easy to see the bully

pulpit and then you see the response, it is a hard act to follow. >> one of the things he will talk about is the deficit. president obama did not mention that the deficit. so much of what went on in washington was about this. he did not mention it until page 9 of a 13-page speech. mitch daniels is a budget hawk. he made a very well known speech last year in washington where he talked about the sea of red-ink. almost like the communists back in the 50's.

i am sure you will hear a lot of emphasis about getting serious about spending we heard precious little from the president to night. we heard very little about entitlement reform or serious spending cuts. >> the thing that got maybe the most rousing applause was when the president talked about the government doing only for the people what they could not do better for themselves. that was a cheering a moment. >> often when they say something that they're trying to reach a cross about, you will see a bunch of republicans get up and cheer sarcastically. they think he is a big- government liberal democrat. it was not raised.

the republican response is three pages. the president said, "i hope americans come away feeling more optimistic about the future of this country. remembering all that we have accomplished and realizing all can still be accomplished." we shall see. the opposition party, the republicans and the governor mitch daniels. >> greetings from the home of the super bowl. to show respect for the presidency and its occupants. to express agreement where it exists. republicans tonight applaud the

president for his aggressive pursuit of the murderers of 9/11. i would add admiration to the list for the strong family commitment that he and the first lady have displayed to the nation. on these evenings, president naturally seek to find the sunny-side of our nation. when president obama said that our nation is great, he must know that this is not true. he was elected on a promise to fix our problems and cannot claim that the last few years have made anything but worse. the percentage of americans with jobs is in the lowest of decades. one in the five men of working age and many men under 30 it did not go to work today. in three short years,